HYDERABAD: Anvikshiki Publishers, a well-known publishing house in Hyderabad started by Venkat Siddareddy has published 100 books in the last four years with an aim to bring Telugu literature back into live. They recently published their 100th book titled Prapancha Cinema Charitra (world cinema literature) authored by Satya Aripirala encompassing the history of cinema across the globe.
Speaking to CE, Venkat Siddareddy explained his motivation towards starting the publishing house and promoting Telugu literature. “Considering both the Telugu states have 7 to 8 crore people, yet Telugu literature didn’t seem to take off much, but to make sure it gets revived and people understand the beauty of Telugu literature, we started Anvikshiki. In Sanskrit, Anvikshiki refers to the spirit or science of inquiry. It felt fitting for the cause. We wanted the books we publish to reach towns as well,” says Venkat, adding “Travelling to Romania and around Europe, the reading culture stunned me. And I wanted to bring it back here, I realised how much we should work on addressing this issue. There are so many in India which have been discovered and written about and there is so much still and all of that needs to be taken seriously and written and read about and I wanted to make sure I myself do something to give such aspiring writers and especially Telugu writers the opportunity to present their work.” he says.
In the beginning it was a bit of a task but when the first book sold a thousand copies Venkat gained confidence on the project. “We publish at least one book every 15days now and most of the books are in their 4th or 5th editions. From there we started an app called ‘Chaduvu’, with more than 25,000 users right now, the only regional books app so far. At least 50 people have joined us as writers since we started this. Watching so many people emerging to write and share so many stories, it’s a heartwarming feeling,” says Venkat. Interestingly, according to him, he is an accidental publisher, his passion lies in films. “Over the years I wanted to bridge the gap between literature and film making because as an active producer right now I see what goes on behind movies and what goes on behind writing a book as well, considering I write as well, I saw the need to make sure people understand the point of evolution through the years,” he shares.
Regarding the idea behind the book and the plethora of information on the subject the author of the 100th book, Satya Aripirala explained, “I found it to be a daunting task to condense the entire history of cinema, which spans over 100 years and more than 100 countries, into a single book. However, I approached the challenge by adopting a travelogue-style narrative, taking the reader on a journey through the history of film, beginning with humanity’s earliest efforts at storytelling as cave dwellers, and tracing the evolution of cinema through to the present day with its cutting-edge technological advancements. To accomplish this, I immersed myself in numerous books on film history, absorbing the most critical information about significant film movements and their impact across all regions of the world. Additionally, the book delves into the ways in which films have influenced specific countries and regions, as well as how these locales, in turn, have impacted the evolution of cinema.”
“Four years ago, when Venkat founded Anvikshiki Publishers, we decided to revive our idea of bringing film-based literature to Telugu readers. Anvikshiki has since published over 10 books on various aspects of film. During this time, I began working on a massive volume on the subject, a book that would take nearly four years to complete.
I am thrilled that this book has been published as Anvikshiki’s 100th book. It is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, and I am honoured to have it published by a publisher committed to promoting literature in Telugu. I hope this book will be well-received and contribute to the rich and diverse cultural landscape of Telugu literature,” concludes Satya.